Or, the short title should read, “I may be smiling, but I was really mortified”. I think this photo was taken in either 1962 or 1963. It was taken at Southgate Market in Tumwater, Washington and if the clown is any of my schoolmate’s father or other male relative, I’m sorry, but I just found this photo ambush so embarrassing. I don’t even know what it was all for. You can see me holding my arms in “protection mode”. Here’s the thing I took away from this event. Just because I was young in age doesn’t mean I was immature. That said, I always became wary of anyone in costume who might want to invade “my space”. I think most clowns are embarrassing, probably because they have to act stupid in public.

I will say, I did enjoy the clownish antics of Emmett Kelly (Weary Willie) and Red Skelton (Freddy the Freeloader) though.

Gun Fanaticism Or Just Practicality?

Admittedly, I don’t really know what these men really felt about their guns and how ‘fanatical’ they might have been about using them. Anything I say here about them comes from my own views of how my family used their rifles, how they talked about them, and our family history with guns.

First, a little background on the people in this picture and where it was taken. From left to right is George Martin, obviously older than the other men in the picture. Next is William K Yates (my paternal grandfather, age 20), unknown man, and far right is Will Yates’ older brother Lemuel W Yates (age 25). On the back of this picture postcard is the postmark of “July 6, 1912 Union Mills, Washington.” I suppose it’s possible that the picture was taken somewhere else and then made into a postcard sent from Washington.

All that said, I do believe it was taken near Union Mills, WA. I’m not showing the back of the postcard here, but I do have the original and it has been clipped along the edges, and the original message on the postcard was written in pencil and is now so light after 115 years I’m unable to read it. Union Mills, Washington was located in Thurston County near what is now the town of Lacey and was base for the Union Lumber Company.

Source: Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History: Oregon, Washington

By Donald B. Robertson

So, were they fanatics about their guns? I think they were in the sense that they felt they were a invaluable tool which they could always use to hunt game to feed their families. Or, at least supplement the larder at home. Considering there were no freezers of size at the time I assume they would dress their game in the woods if it was large like a deer, perhaps cutting it in smaller sections to be shared as they saw fit, and much of it eaten immediately. In this picture, I don’t think the men were actively hunting, but rather ‘posing’ for the photographer to make it look like an interesting tableau. The reason I say that is because it was probably taken and sent in July as the postmark indicates, and hunting season wasn’t until much later in the fall.

One thing I do know from my family history with my dad, “Never touch my gun” was law in our house and neither my brother nor I ever considered going against that edict. The men in my family (none of the women hunted, as far as I know) were fanatics about gun safety. I don’t think any of the hunters in the family ever used pistols because it just wouldn’t have been practical for their needs. I do know that when my dad hunted in he used a .30-06. I wonder what happened to that rifle. I bet my brother has it.

An Honorable Way To Fight Back Against Racism

I lived through the 60’s when race riots were in full swing. I truly thought we were making racism more and more of an anathema, but as we have all seen in the news racism has come back with a fury since President Obama was elected. As an American, I am proud to see there is a small righting of wrongs that will be done to honor the service of 24 men who were denied the Medal of Honor because of the color of their skin. As you probably know, no one “wins” a Medal of Honor, but it is also not just wearing of a medal. Consider these other benefits:

Special Medal of Honor pension of $1,194 per month above and beyond any military pensions or other benefits for which they may be eligible. The MOH pension is subject to cost-of-living increases.

Special entitlements to Space A air transportation.

Enlisted recipients are entitled to a supplemental uniform allowance.

Commissary and exchange privileges (includes eligible dependents).

Admission to the United States military academies for qualified children of recipients — without nomination and quota requirements.

10 percent increase in retired pay.

Medal of Honor Flag.

Allowed to wear the uniform at anytime as long as the standard restrictions are observed.

Which brings me to the “What Was Taken” part of the title of this article. Decades have passed since the end of the Vietnam War. The men who are deceased and were awarded posthumously the medal will have the honor attached to their names, but it is their families, and those of the few still living that I think of now with some sorrow for what was taken away from them. First in my mind is the missed educational opportunities the children of these men were denied. What great mind did we fail to enrich? Did any of the families falter financially when the extra money from the award might have meant better health, or a longer life? So many “what if’s” to be sure.

Twenty Four Heroes

One last thought, this award of the Medal of Honor cannot be seen as anything more than honoring the gallantry of individuals who didn’t think of the color of their skin when they fought and gave their lives. We need to focus on the kind of men they are and were: HEROES

The cabin in this video was built in 1927 from old, dead chestnut trees from a location in Maryland. I’m purposely not giving too much information about the owners and it’s new location in order to preserve the owner’s security. I love the way the video was filmed, as well as the story written by the owner and presented from the cabin’s point of view. I hope you enjoy it, and will give it a good rating on YouTube if you do.